The purpose of this research is to capture and analyze the relationships between architecture and recent technologies in terms of perception. Far from the supposed subjectivity, this analysis guided by the notion of perceptual experience, is based on both phenomenological and aesthetic concepts. This double reflexivity also relates to the conceptual and "concrete" case studies operating the architectural vision of spatiality in speculative tensions between the "digital" and the physical word. The problematic concerns the reception of architecture as a cultural value and intellectual production, coordinated by technological means that amplify it. In keeping with the assumption that today's architecture is far away to "serve" only as a response to formal, structural and functional questions, this research shows that architecture is increasingly approaching the artistic field in phase of permanent experimentations. By analyzing the factors of aestheticization of various concepts, case study seeks to understand the cognitive and the aesthetic value of the technological reception — new notion, introduced as an operational concept to approach the sensitive, hybrid and variables issues of architectural production. The originality of this research consist of analyzing the unstable connections that characterize the current processes of various transitions in the field of…

▼ The present study evaluated the in vivo hepatoprotective activity of two medicinal plants, namely, Satureja punctata Benth. Briq. (Lamiaceae) and Solanecio angulatus Vahl Jeffrey (Asteraceae) used in Ethiopian traditional medical practices for the treatment of liver diseases. The levels of hepatic marker enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were used to assess their hepatoprotective activity against ferric nitrilotriacetate (FeNTA)-induced hepatotoxicity in Sprague Dawely rats. The results revealed that pretreating rats with the crude aqueous extract of S. punctata at a dose of 500 mg/kg significantly suppressed the plasma AST (P < 0.01); ALT (P < 0.01) and ALP (P<0.001) activity when compared with control, while S. angulatus at a dose of 200 mg/kg reduced the activity of AST (P<0.01) and ALP (P<0.01) but failed to significantly suppress ALT activity. Among the soxhlet fractions of S. punctata, the methanol fraction at a dose of 500 mg/kg showed maximum hepatoprotective activity (P<0.001). The chloroform fraction at a dose of 250 mg/kg showed significant reduction in AST, ALT and ALP (P<0.01) activity while the aqueous fraction at a dose of 250 mg/kg showed significant reduction in AST (P<0.001), ALT (P<0.001) and ALP (P<0.05). Histopathological studies also supported these results. In vitro DPPH assay conducted on the soxhlet methanolic fraction of S. punctata showed that it possessed significant free radical scavenging activity which led to the conclusion that the hepatoprotective activity of the plant could be at least in part through its antioxidant action. The extracts showed good toxicity profile in acute toxicity study. Phytochemical analysis of S. punctata showed the presence of flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids and tannins. These results suggest that the aerial part of S. punctata contains bioactive principles with hepatoprotective activity.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ephrem Engidawork (PhD) (advisor).

► This study examines the depiction of Madrid by Benito Pérez Galdós in his novels Fortunata y Jacinta, Miau, and Misericordia, as illuminated by Walter Benjamin’s…
(more)

▼ This study examines the depiction of Madrid by Benito Pérez Galdós in his novels Fortunata y Jacinta, Miau, and Misericordia, as illuminated by Walter Benjamin’s view of nineteenth-century Paris in the Arcades Project. Drawing on Benjamin’s concepts of allegory, phantasmagoria, the interior, and “Messianic time,” I argue that Galdós’ inclusion of both material and spiritual aspects under the aesthetic category of “realism” is best understood as an effort to reflect the interpenetration of religious tradition and narratives of progress in modern society. In the novels studied here, the religious does not function merely as symbolic allusion or anticlerical critique, but rather signals a Benjaminian exposure of the phantasmagoric syncretism of Providence and progress, a gesture which in turn allows the work of art to create new relationships between sacred and secular.
Advisors/Committee Members: Mihai I. Spariosu.

▼ Iron sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are essential cofactors that function in electron transport, catalyzing substrate turnover, environmental sensing, and initiating radical chemistry. Elaborate multi-component systems have evolved to protect organisms from the toxic effects of free iron and sulfide ions while promoting the efficient biosynthesis of these cofactors. The in vivo loss of frataxin (FXN) function results in depleted activity of Fe-S enzymes and is directly linked to the fatal and incurable neurodegenerative disease Friedreich?s ataxia (FRDA).
Previously, our lab discovered the cysteine desulfurase and Fe-S assembly activities of the human Fe-S assembly complex (SDU), which consists of the cysteine desulfurase complex NFS1-ISD11 and scaffold protein ISCU2, are greatly stimulated by FXN binding and forming the SDUF complex. This dissertation?s objectives were to identify critical FXN interactions for binding and activation of the SDU complex, investigate the interprotein sulfur transfer reaction between NFS1 and ISCU2, and provide mechanistic details of Fe-S assembly on the SDUF complex.
First, surface residues on FXN were substituted with alanine or glycine and the ability of each variant to bind and activate the SDU complex was assessed. These experiments revealed a localized ?hotspot? of critical residues on FXN, which could aid in designing small peptide mimics for FRDA therapeutics.
Second, ^(35)S-radiolabeling experiments indicated FXN accelerates the accumulation of persulfide species on NFS1 and ISCU2. The ISCU2 persulfide species was established as a viable intermediate in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis by tracking the ^(35)S-radiolabel as it converts from a persulfide species to a [2Fe-2S] cluster. Additional mutagenic, enzymatic, and spectroscopic studies suggest conserved ISCU2 residue C104 is critical for FXN-based activation, whereas C35, C61, and C104, are all essential for Fe-S cluster biosynthesis. These results lead to an activation model in which FXN facilitates sulfur transfer from NFS1 to ISCU2 as an initial step in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis and favors helix-to-coil interconversion on ISCU2.
Third, UV-visible, circular dichroism, and M?ssbauer spectroscopic studies indicated the SDUF complex synthesizes transient [2Fe-2S] clusters that readily transfer to thiol-containing acceptor molecules. Moreover, these studies revealed competing DTT-mediated transfer and mineralization chemistry that cause complications when studying the mechanism of Fe-S cluster biosynthesis.
Advisors/Committee Members: Barondeau, David P (advisor), Lindahl, Paul (committee member), Sacchettini, James (committee member), Liu, Wenshe (committee member).

► Organic electronics is a rapidly developing field of both science and technology. Semiconducting conjugated polymers are performing an important role in the progression of optical…
(more)

▼ Organic electronics is a rapidly developing field of both science and technology. Semiconducting conjugated polymers are performing an important role in the progression of optical electronic device applications. Photoluminescent and electroluminescent conjugated polymers have made profound scientific and technological developments in a wide range of light-emitting applications. This thesis deals with the design, synthesis and study of a novel class of 1-functionalised dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide monomers and then uses them to synthesise the first novel soluble 1-functionalised dibenzothiophene-S,S -dioxide homopolymers, and co-polymers with fluorene units. A series of novel 1-(alkoxy, alkylthio, alkyl sulfonyl) -dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide onomers (Br2S-R) (I) with various solubilising alkyl chains (linear or branched) have been synthesised and fully characterised by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

► The Mini-Columbarium in Carthage’s Roman-era Yasmina cemetery combines regional construction methods with a Roman architectural form to express the privileged status of its wealthy interred;…
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▼ The Mini-Columbarium in Carthage’s Roman-era Yasmina cemetery combines regional construction methods with a Roman architectural form to express the privileged status of its wealthy interred; this combination deploys monumental architectural language on a small scale. This late second or early third century C.E. tomb uses the very North African method of vaulting tubes, in development in this period, for an aggrandizing vaulted ceiling in a collective tomb type derived from the environs of Rome, the columbarium. The use of the columbarium type signals its patrons’ engagement with Roman mortuary trends—and so, with culture of the center of imperial power— to a viewer and imparts a sense of group membership to both interred and visitor. The type also, characteristically, provides an interior space for funerary ritual and commemoration, which both sets the Mini-Columbarium apart at Yasmina and facilitates normative Roman North African funerary ritual practice, albeit in a communal context.
Advisors/Committee Members: Naomi Norman.

► This commentary provides a commentary on the 110-line poem inscribed on the tomb of the Flavii at Cillium. As an inscription the poem serves as…
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▼ This commentary provides a commentary on the 110-line poem inscribed on the tomb of the Flavii at Cillium. As an inscription the poem serves as a decoration on the tomb of the deceased, but because of his obvious ability, skill, and education, the poet and his composition deserve independent study. By examining the poet's composition both independently as a stand-alone poem and in relation to the monument on which it is inscribed, this commentary provides evidence for the poet's familiarity with Latin literature and shows how he manipulates common literary tropes and themes in order to apply them to the deceased and the Roman North African society of which he was a part.
Advisors/Committee Members: Naomi Norman.

Sawyer, J. J. (2010). A commentary on the verse inscription on the tomb of the Flavii at Cillium. (Masters Thesis). University of Georgia. Retrieved from http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/sawyer_jesse_j_201008_ma

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Sawyer, Jesse Jake. “A commentary on the verse inscription on the tomb of the Flavii at Cillium.” 2010. Masters Thesis, University of Georgia. Accessed September 15, 2019.
http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/sawyer_jesse_j_201008_ma.

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

Sawyer, Jesse Jake. “A commentary on the verse inscription on the tomb of the Flavii at Cillium.” 2010. Web. 15 Sep 2019.

Vancouver:

Sawyer JJ. A commentary on the verse inscription on the tomb of the Flavii at Cillium. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Georgia; 2010. [cited 2019 Sep 15].
Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/sawyer_jesse_j_201008_ma.

Council of Science Editors:

Sawyer JJ. A commentary on the verse inscription on the tomb of the Flavii at Cillium. [Masters Thesis]. University of Georgia; 2010. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/sawyer_jesse_j_201008_ma

University of Georgia

10.
Nocera, Joe Robert.
The effects of a home-based exercise intervention on individuals with Parkinson's disease.

► The purpose of this study was to evaluate a home-based exercise intervention for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Sixteen individuals, eight with Parkinson’s disease (74.6 ±…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to evaluate a home-based exercise intervention for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Sixteen individuals, eight with Parkinson’s disease (74.6 ± 8.3 year) and eight healthy, aged-matched controls (71.0 ± 5.9 year) completed this study and were evaluated on; (1) balance as measured by a NeuroCom EquiTest Sensory Organization Test protocol, (2) a Functional Limitations Assessment measured on the EquiTest long forceplate including a Sit-to-Stand, Step-Up/Over, and a Walk Across and (3) isokinetic strength as measured by the HumacNorm isokinetic dynamometer proir to and after a 10 week home-based exercise intervention. Data were analyzed with mixed model repeated measures MANOVA. Based on data analysis it was concluded that individuals with Parkinson’s disease can significantly improve functional task measures with a convenient, home-based exercise intervention.
Advisors/Committee Members: Michael Horvat.

Nocera, J. R. (2007). The effects of a home-based exercise intervention on individuals with Parkinson's disease. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Georgia. Retrieved from http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/nocera_joe_r_200708_phd

Nocera JR. The effects of a home-based exercise intervention on individuals with Parkinson's disease. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Georgia; 2007. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/nocera_joe_r_200708_phd

► Motivated by a problem on the 67th William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, we will summarize three different solutions found on a website. This Putman problem…
(more)

▼ Motivated by a problem on the 67th William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition,
we will summarize three different solutions found on a website. This Putman problem is a
special case of Sylvester’s four point problem! Suppose four points are taken at random in
a convex body; what is the probability that they form a convex quadrilateral? We will see
that there exists a relationship among Crofton’s formula, random secants in two dimensions
and the solution to this question. We will then present the solution following Kingman [3]
to the Sylvester’s four point problem in two and three dimensions for a unit ball by looking
at convex bodies in three and four dimensions, respectively.
Advisors/Committee Members: Malcolm R. Adams.

► The fact that T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land presents an ecologically and culturally destitute world would appear to make the poem an obvious focus…
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▼ The fact that T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land presents an ecologically and culturally destitute world would appear to make the poem an obvious focus of attention for ecocritics, especially given our current growing environmental problems. This has not been the case, however. I argue that by using the principles of ecology and biophilia, it becomes possible to read the structure of The Waste Land as being a voice in and of itself, a long neglected voice that speaks to the potential redemption of civilization through the recognition of the integral interconnectedness of all things. The structure of The Waste Land is a very intricate web of fragments that mimic the interconnections that form a healthy ecosystem. This structure is in direct contrast to the emptiness and desolation of the poem’s content, reflecting the effects that human conceit has on civilization when a civilization regards itself as being separate from the rest of the natural world.
Advisors/Committee Members: Carl Rapp.

Morrell, G. (2007). Language of the non-speaking: structure as biophilic voice and source of hope in T.S. Eliot’s The waste land. (Masters Thesis). University of Georgia. Retrieved from http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/morrell_geoff_m_200712_ma

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Morrell, Geoff. “Language of the non-speaking: structure as biophilic voice and source of hope in T.S. Eliot’s The waste land.” 2007. Masters Thesis, University of Georgia. Accessed September 15, 2019.
http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/morrell_geoff_m_200712_ma.

Morrell G. Language of the non-speaking: structure as biophilic voice and source of hope in T.S. Eliot’s The waste land. [Masters Thesis]. University of Georgia; 2007. Available from: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/morrell_geoff_m_200712_ma

University of Glasgow

13.
Asheen, Naser.
Evaluation of the effects of reducing crude protein content and supplementing with crystalline amino acids on growth performance and litter quality in turkey.

► Dietary factors contribute to ammonia emission and amount of nitrogen in the excreta. The excretion of nitrogen originating from dietary protein is largely responsible for…
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▼ Dietary factors contribute to ammonia emission and amount of nitrogen in the excreta. The excretion of nitrogen originating from dietary protein is largely responsible for some of the environmental issues associated with poultry production. Protein is essential as the very building block of the animal itself and hence protein nutrition takes a centre stage in poultry feeding. The use of dietary crude protein with crystalline amino acids as a means to decrease the impact on the environment of intensive poultry production is consequently of importance.
Two experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of dietary manipulation using four different concentration of protein with and without amino acid supplementation on turkey performance, litter quality and nutrient utilization. The birds were raised in an environmentally controlled house and lighting procedure followed was the recommendation for the turkey breed.
In the first study, the aim was to investigate the effect of dietary manipulation using four different concentrations of crude protein. One-hundred and twenty 7-day old BUT 10 turkeys were allocated to 4 treatments in a randomised complete block design. Each treatment had 6 replicate pens with 5 birds per replicate pen. The treatments were a diet adequate in protein and amino acids (diet 1) according to the breed specification and three other diets (diets 2, 3 and 4) formulated to have stepwise reduction of at least 1.4% protein from the previous diet such that the last diet had approximately 4% lower protein level than the first diet. The diets were fed in four phases of four weeks each (except the first phase that lasted 3 weeks).
The highest protein levels were 28.8, 25.9, 21.7, and 18.5% and the lowest protein levels were 24.5, 21.0, 18.2 and 15.0%, respectively for phases 1, 2, 3 and 4. The diets were supplemented with appropriate crystalline amino acids that were present in the diet at lower than the requirement for the specific phase in each of the diets. The diets were formulated on digestible amino acid basis. Growth performance data were collected at the end of each phase. Overall there were no significant effects of diet on daily weight gain, feed intake or gain: feed. The final body weight was not influenced by the dietary treatments. The data from this experiment showed that supplementing a low-protein diet with crystalline amino acid produced weight gain similar to that of birds receiving adequate intact protein in their diets and support a superior efficiency of protein utilisation for weight gain.
The second study was designed to investigate the nutrient utilisation response of turkey to reducing the dietary protein supply by soybean meal and supplementing with amino acids. A total of 96 seven-day old male turkeys (B.U.T.10) were used for the study. On day 7, the birds were allocated to four dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design using initial body weight as the blocking criterion to ensure equal body weight in all the treatments at the start of the…

Asheen, N. (2012). Evaluation of the effects of reducing crude protein content and supplementing with crystalline amino acids on growth performance and litter quality in turkey. (Thesis). University of Glasgow. Retrieved from http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3758/

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Asheen, Naser. “Evaluation of the effects of reducing crude protein content and supplementing with crystalline amino acids on growth performance and litter quality in turkey.” 2012. Thesis, University of Glasgow. Accessed September 15, 2019.
http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3758/.

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Council of Science Editors:

Asheen N. Evaluation of the effects of reducing crude protein content and supplementing with crystalline amino acids on growth performance and litter quality in turkey. [Thesis]. University of Glasgow; 2012. Available from: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3758/

Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

► Many species of moths within the family Noctuidae are significant agricultural pests. Specific floral volatiles are attractive to both male and female Noctuidae and may…
(more)

▼ Many species of moths within the family Noctuidae are significant agricultural pests. Specific floral volatiles are attractive to both male and female Noctuidae and may be used to as attractants in crop protection. For the first time the following research compares two types of floral volatile blends - those that mimic natural floral odours and those that are artifical odour blends ('super-blends'). In wind tunnel bioassays and field trials in two diverse geographic locations (Argentina and the United Kingdom) a range of noctuid moth species that are considered crop pests were found to be attracted to both types of the floral odour blends. However, a 'super-blend' containing phenylacetaldehyde, salicylaldehyde, methyl 2-methoxybenzoate, linalool, and limonene (in a 10 : 4 : 2 : 2 : 1 ratio) was found to be the most effective general attractant across the following species: Helicoverpa armigera and gelotopoeon, Heliothis zea, Spodoptera frugiperda, and Autographa gamma suggesting that these compounds are universal cues to this family of moths when searching for flowers.
Further behavioural bioassays found that the physiological state of the insect had an important effect on its behavioural response to the floral odour super-blend. Bioassays carried out on H. armigera revealed that gravid insects were significantly less likely compared to virgin insects to make contact with an odour blend baited lure. In addition, insects provided with sucrose solution were significantly less likely to make contact with the odour source compared to starved insects or insects only provided with water. This is the first time this affect has been seen in this species and may have important implications for using these types of floral odours for crop protection.
Investigations into the most effective trap for capturing Noctuidae found that a homemade bucket and water trap or funnel and sleeve traps were significantly more effective than UniTraps or sticky traps. During the field trials large numbers of nontarget insects were also captured, including beneficial insects and pest species. By using green coloured traps captures of beneficial hymenoptera (Syrphidae and Apoidea) were significantly reduced. Taken together, the current findings provide insights into how Noctuid moths interact with host odour cues and how they may be used in developing pest management techniques.

Whitfield, E. C. (2014). Floral derived compounds as attractants for agricultural pests in the family Noctuidae. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Greenwich. Retrieved from http://gala.gre.ac.uk/18145/

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Whitfield, E Charles. “Floral derived compounds as attractants for agricultural pests in the family Noctuidae.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Greenwich. Accessed September 15, 2019.
http://gala.gre.ac.uk/18145/.

Whitfield EC. Floral derived compounds as attractants for agricultural pests in the family Noctuidae. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Greenwich; 2014. Available from: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/18145/

► In this research I have developed a new method for depicting historical sites using game-design concepts and technologies. I argue that using computer games, design…
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▼ In this research I have developed a new method for
depicting historical sites using game-design concepts and
technologies. I argue that using computer games, design environment
researchers can integrate and consolidate historical documents,
challenging the dichotomy of space and time as two discrete
constructs, producing a dynamic rather than static "frozen" image
of place. This method allows for movement from representation to
simulation of historical places and events, and facilitates an
active participation in the remaking of an historical place. While
this method seeks to provide an accurate historical reconstruction,
it also allows for the maintenance of a critical distance by
exposing the mechanics of historiography. Stitching together
various perspectives, I propose the making of a collage simulation
of history in a game environment. To test this method, I studied
the historical site of Machu Picchu in Peru, and the story of its
discovery by explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911. Bingham's expedition
remains today the constituting myth of the site, captured in
multiple documents, primarily Bingham's travel journal, but also in
photography and cartographic drawings, made by Bingham himself
during his discovery. In the contest of my work, Bingham's
materials were integrated into a 3D game environment. Taking-part
in a collaborative project for 3D-scanning of Machu Picchu, on-site
work produced accurate models of sections of the site. The 3D
models became a basis-layer for my prototype, a hybrid of game and
digital archive, producing a movement towards collage simulation of
historical sites.
Advisors/Committee Members: Terry W. Knight, Nagakura (advisor).

► Many species of moths within the family Noctuidae are significant agricultural pests. Specific floral volatiles are attractive to both male and female Noctuidae and may…
(more)

▼ Many species of moths within the family Noctuidae are significant agricultural pests. Specific floral volatiles are attractive to both male and female Noctuidae and may be used to as attractants in crop protection. For the first time the following research compares two types of floral volatile blends - those that mimic natural floral odours and those that are artifical odour blends ('super-blends'). In wind tunnel bioassays and field trials in two diverse geographic locations (Argentina and the United Kingdom) a range of noctuid moth species that are considered crop pests were found to be attracted to both types of the floral odour blends. However, a 'super-blend' containing phenylacetaldehyde, salicylaldehyde, methyl 2-methoxybenzoate, linalool, and limonene (in a 10 : 4 : 2 : 2 : 1 ratio) was found to be the most effective general attractant across the following species: Helicoverpa armigera and gelotopoeon, Heliothis zea, Spodoptera frugiperda, and Autographa gamma suggesting that these compounds are universal cues to this family of moths when searching for flowers. Further behavioural bioassays found that the physiological state of the insect had an important effect on its behavioural response to the floral odour super-blend. Bioassays carried out on H. armigera revealed that gravid insects were significantly less likely compared to virgin insects to make contact with an odour blend baited lure. In addition, insects provided with sucrose solution were significantly less likely to make contact with the odour source compared to starved insects or insects only provided with water. This is the first time this affect has been seen in this species and may have important implications for using these types of floral odours for crop protection. Investigations into the most effective trap for capturing Noctuidae found that a homemade bucket and water trap or funnel and sleeve traps were significantly more effective than UniTraps or sticky traps. During the field trials large numbers of nontarget insects were also captured, including beneficial insects and pest species. By using green coloured traps captures of beneficial hymenoptera (Syrphidae and Apoidea) were significantly reduced. Taken together, the current findings provide insights into how Noctuid moths interact with host odour cues and how they may be used in developing pest management techniques.

Whitfield EC. Floral derived compounds as attractants for agricultural pests in the family Noctuidae. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Greenwich; 2014. Available from: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/18145/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.732813

University of Glasgow

20.
Mesmar, Joelle.
An investigation into the role of ubiquitination in plant immunity.

► Plants have developed elaborate defence mechanisms to protect themselves against pathogens. Recently, the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway has been proven to play important roles in regulating plant…
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▼ Plants have developed elaborate defence mechanisms to protect themselves against pathogens. Recently, the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway has been proven to play important roles in regulating plant disease resistance. Previously, the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) ACRE276 and its Arabidopsis homolog AtPUB17 have been identified as E3 ligases that are positive regulators of the Cf-9/Avr9- and N/p50-elicited hypersensitive response (HR) in tobacco. In addition, AtPUB17 is required for the RPM1- and RPS4-mediated resistance responses in Arabidopsis.
The identification of AtPUB17 signalling partners would allow to understand the mode of action of AtPUB17 during plant defence. AtPOB1, a BTB/POZ-domain protein was isolated as an AtPUB17 interactor in a yeast-two-hybrid screen. The aim of this study was to confirm this interaction and to investigate the potential involvement of AtPOB1 in mediating disease resistance responses.
The analysis of the Atpob1 knock out plants revealed a novel BTB/POZ protein implicated in plant defence. Atpob1 plants rapidly accumulated reactive oxygen species (ROS), induced the expression of pathogenesis related (PR) genes and developed spontaneous necrotic lesions upon infection with a virulent pathogen. AtPOB1 transcript and protein levels were induced by virulent Pseudomonas syringae. And transient overexpression of AtPOB1 in Cf-9 tobacco compromised the Avr9-triggered HR. In addition, Atpob1 plants showed signs of premature senescence. These results indicate that AtPOB1 is a negative regulator of plant defence- and senescence-associated pathways.
The Nicotiana benthamiana AtPOB1 homolog was also identified and its cDNA sequence was used to investigate the role of NbPOB1 and its close relative NtPOB1 in disease resistance signalling. Transient overexpression of NbPOB1 and RNA interference (RNAi)-based silencing of NtPOB1 in Cf-9 tobacco compromised and accelerated the Avr9-triggered HR, respectively. Moreover, virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) of NbPOB1 accelerated the dark-induced senescence in N. benthamiana leaves. These observations identify NbPOB1 and NtPOB1 as the orthologs of AtPOB1.
The subcellular localization of AtPOB1 and NbPOB1 was analyzed by transiently overexpressing GFP-AtPOB1 and GFP-NbPOB1 fusion proteins in tobacco leaf tissue. Analysis by confocal microscopy revealed that GFP fluorescence was localized in the nucleus of leaf tissue tested. The overexpression of AtPOB1 fused with a nuclear export signal (NES) failed to compromise the Avr9-triggered HR in Cf-9 tobacco, indicating the nuclear localization of AtPOB1 is crucial for its function.
The BTB/POZ domain is a highly conserved protein-protein interaction interface that mediates homo- and/or hetero-dimerization of BTB/POZ proteins. The D146A and D141A mutation in the BTB/POZ domain of AtPOB1 and NbPOB1, respectively reduces their dimerization efficiency. These mutants fail to negatively regulate the Cf-9/Avr9-mediated HR, supporting the importance of an intact BTB/POZ interface for the function of AtPOB1 and NbPOB1. …

Mesmar J. An investigation into the role of ubiquitination in plant immunity. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Glasgow; 2009. [cited 2019 Sep 15].
Available from: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/659/.

Council of Science Editors:

Mesmar J. An investigation into the role of ubiquitination in plant immunity. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Glasgow; 2009. Available from: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/659/

► Crude extracts of the seed kernels of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) are widely used as plant protection products. The active ingredient (a.i.) of these…
(more)

▼ Crude extracts of the seed kernels of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) are widely used as plant protection products. The active ingredient (a.i.) of these extracts is azadirachtin A (aza A). aza A is a phytochemical
(botanical) complex secondary metabolite which, with it is multiple toxic effects on insects, protects the plant against predation. Aza A is present in only low concentration in neem oil, but makes up 20-50% in the NSKEs extracted by polar solvents from the kernels. However, when used as foliar sprays it is rapidly destroyed by sunlight, and might be more effective if it is used systemically. Therefore the aim of the project was to extend previous work and to prepare a pelleted version of the main commercially-available neem-seed kernel extract, NeemAzal®-Technical (NAT) produced by Trifolio GmbH, in preparation for the expected registration of the product in the UK in 2011.
It was first necessary to purify a quantity of aza A for quantification of the a.i. pelleted material and in soil and plants in the rest of the project. In achieving high purity (over 98%) aza A, reverse phase chromatographic methods were used, and mass spectrometery was used to confirm purity and identification. A final quantity of 6.2 mg of azadirachtin A was obtained from 4 gm of NAT, a yield of 0.15%.
If aza A and the other neem terpenoids are to be used to plant protection, they must have a low phytotoxicity. Effect of NAT on the germination and its ensuing seedling development of two commercially important crops, sugar beet and cabbage was examined. NAT did have an inhibitory effect on seedling growth at 10-3 M aza A. In order to explore the inhibitory affect of aza A, the second part of the chapter was to examine effect of aza A on mitosis of onion root tips. The limonoids in concentration of 10-3 M adversely affected the mitotic activity of onion root tip cells. This could be failure of microtubules polymerisation into microtubules, or some other biochemical effect. From the findings in this part of the project, it can be concluded that only at a concentration of 10-3 M is aza A toxic to plant young seedlings, but in practice this is unlikely to be a significant problem.
The first part of Chapter 4 of the project was to lay the foundations for the behaviour of aza A in soil environment in both powder form and in 2 types of granular formulations. The half-life of azadirachtin in soil from this work was found to be 1.6 days which is consistent with the previous reports. This short half-life of aza A may be problematic in use as a PPP. The short persistence might be overcome by formulating neem materials in granules to achieve environmental stability and biological efficacy of application. The granular formulations used in the project showed controlled release characteristics. The release of azadirachtin into the soil water was in fact delayed by encapsulating it in pellets. Systemic uptake of aza A by roots and subsequent presence in the vascular system of plants was assessed. Aza A was transported and was…

Farah AA. The development of a commercially-available Neem seed kernel extract as a soil-applied systemic granular plant protection product. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Glasgow; 2010. Available from: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1849/

► In the field crops are subject to a wide variety of biotic and abiotic stresses. In order to manage crop protection effectively it is important…
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▼ In the field crops are subject to a wide variety of biotic and abiotic stresses. In order to manage crop protection effectively it is important that we understand not only the way plants respond to these stresses, but the way in which these responses interact. High levels of fertilisers and pesticides are often applied to maintain soil nutritional status and prevent disease in modern intensive farming systems. Potassium (K) is an essential element for plant growth and development, and is required for a wide variety of processes within the plant. These processes can be broadly divided into biophysical processes such as stomatal opening and cell extension and biochemical processes such as protein synthesis and enzyme activation. K starvation has been shown to lead to increased levels of the stress hormone jasmonate (JA) and related compounds in Arabidopsis thaliana plants which in turn modulates the plant’s defence against herbivorous insects and probably other pests or pathogens (Armengaud et al., 2004; Troufflard et al., 2010). In order for these results to be applicable to agriculture it is important to assess whether crop plants respond to K in a similar manner as the model plant. In this project the effect of K-deficiency on growth, metabolite concentrations, transcript levels and pathogen susceptibility of barley were investigated. Plants were grown in full-nutrient (control) or K-free hydroponic culture. The physiological, biochemical and transcriptional effects of K-deprivation were accessed over a time course of 20 days. Roots and shoots from plants grown in K-free nutrient solution had significantly lower K concentration than those grown in the control solution after 3 and 6 days respectively. A significant reduction in growth was seen as early as 6 days after K withdrawal. K-starvation led to a slight decrease in nitrogen metabolism, while hexose sugars strongly accumulated. By day 9 a significant increase in the expression of JA marker genes was seen in plants grown in K-free nutrient solution. Thus, despite possible differences in downstream events an induction of JA biosynthesis in response to K-deficiency occurs in both Arabidopsis and barley. Detached leaf segments were used to assess the effect of K-deficiency on infection of barley by two fungal pathogens with different strategies for nutrient acquisition. K-deficient barley plants were less susceptible to the biotroph Blumeria graminis f. f. sp. hordei (powdery mildew) and more susceptible to the hemi-biotroph Rhynchosporium secalis. Treatment of detached leaves with methyl-jasmonate (Me-JA) also led to less B. graminis infection, but had no effect on the R. secalis infection, indicating that JA increase in response to K-deficiency influences B. graminis but not R. secalis infection. The study therefore provides strong evidence that the effect of K-deficiency on pathogen susceptibility is determined by the JA-sensitivity of the pathogen.

► Los Cerros Orientales, a ridge of mountains that spans the eastern edge of Bogota are the most iconic and monumental feature of the city. They…
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▼ Los Cerros Orientales, a ridge of mountains that
spans the eastern edge of Bogota are the most iconic and monumental
feature of the city. They were also critical in the city's history
as they provided the resources to support the original settlements,
supplied the materials to build the city and dictated its urban
form. Because of their symbolism and visual prominence preservation
policies have been implemented to protect them from urbanization.
Starting in 1977 the government instituted an urban growth boundary
to prevent urbanization in Los Cerros. However, the large rural to
urban migrations that began in the mid-twentieth century created an
erratic urban expansion that the boundary was unable to contain.
Informal and formal developments have continued to expand into
protected land regardless of the different containment policies
that have been institutionalized. The aim of this thesis is to
reexamine Bogota's urban boundary in order to devise alternative
strategies that can better address the inevitable urbanization of
Los Cerros. The argument is rooted in the premise that social,
political and economical conditions will prevent containment
strategies to succeed. As a result, urbanization is acknowledged
and used as a proxy to design strategies that will bolster and
improve existing social and natural ecologies. Informality,
infrastructure and architectural monuments are the lenses through
which this thesis explores and articulates alternative strategies
for the urban boundary.
Advisors/Committee Members: Miho Mazereeuw (advisor).

► We as architects consider ourselves creators. We work under the false assumption that buildings will last forever. However, the fact is that every building eventually…
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▼ We as architects consider ourselves creators. We
work under the false assumption that buildings will last forever.
However, the fact is that every building eventually dies. This
thesis rethinks the question of death. The Salt House Project is a
product of this questioning. It tests radically rapid turnover of
the building life cycle in the Islands of Galapagos, Ecuador. The
thesis is carried out by designing a salt-cured seasonal residence,
which will gradually and naturally be demolished over a designated
period of time. The building life expectancy will be precisely set
out from the beginning to the end-purporting each and every step of
its life cycle -from occupation to demolition. It will be
constructed and disappear back into the nature within a one-year
life cycle. Some parts will obviously remain for a longer period of
time depending on its structural integrity. However, the big
picture is that the house will evolve-decay over time, varying not
only in its form but also in its function. To implement this idea,
all building materials will be based on natural resources including
salt, soil, gravel, sand and coconut fiber. Water and heat will be
the binding solution of the building structure and wind and rain
will act as demolition agents. This thesis challenges the attempt
to alleviate building obsolescence over time by reversely mandating
a building's life expectancy. In doing so, we achieve firstly, a
sympathetic connection between geometry and material and secondly,
a vitality to achieve eccentric expressions of life styles that can
be highly unique and customized. In fact, the way we operate shifts
dramatically when we design for death as opposed to
perpetuity.
Advisors/Committee Members: Brandon Clifford (advisor).

► This thesis investigates urban boundaries in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. The Zona Norte transitioned in the last hundred years from a rural…
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▼ This thesis investigates urban boundaries in the
North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. The Zona Norte transitioned in the
last hundred years from a rural outskirts area of Rio, into its
industrial hinterland, into a fully urbanized dense fabric today.
Currently the area is challenged by extreme socio-economic and
environmental problems. Zona Norte also has potential for vast
redevelopment soon due to the investments for World Cup and
Olympics as well as the development of the outer ring road, Arco
Metropolitano, which is currently under construction. The research
question underlying my design proposal is: How can new
infrastructure investments be used as triggers to pair new
development with spatial design solutions for the existing social
and environmental issues in the Zona Norte? The research develops
the hypothesis that build-up boundaries in the Zona Norte, between
strictly defined land uses can be broken down and made more
permeable through urban design. A detailed analysis of
industry-favela clusters unravels this problematic based on a
twofold reasoning: Industrial areas and favelas are the sites of
most profound social and environmental issues and these clusters
contain the sharpest boundaries between land use planning areas and
infrastructures. Through a systemic analysis of one of these
clusters, Fazenda Botafogo, I define a strategy for breaking these
boundaries that can be replicated in similar sites across the metro
area. The design activates boundaries with new program,
circulation, and development to reconfigure different neighborhoods
and stimulate a more robust, diverse fabric without thick
boundaries of exclusion and separation. The specific
porosity-strategies therefore are the recalibration of
infrastructures, the reconfiguration of landscape and the
introduction of program-mix and public space. The result is a
cohesive urban fabric and mixed-use development that frames river
remediation sites and new landscape capacities for environmental
improvement.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lorena Bello Gomez (advisor).

► The next Olympic games will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro in the summer of 2016. While the Olympic committee advertises the event as the…
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▼ The next Olympic games will be hosted in Rio de
Janeiro in the summer of 2016. While the Olympic committee
advertises the event as the "games for everyone", the plans are
clearly promoting development and programs that are
disproportionately aimed at the wealthy. This has been the course
in all cities that have hosted the Olympics, but it is something
especially detrimental in Rio. The rich have largely walled
themselves of from the city within their gated communities and the
low income citizens are relegated to building on top of each other.
This creates a spatial paradigm with relatively little in between.
The thesis seeks to use the Olympics as an opportunity to begin
reversing the spatial segregation between the wealthy and the poor
within the city by proposing an intervention in the Olympic
Village, currently designed to become a gated community, to become
a mixed income community. The thesis provides an architectural
plug-in that activates the ground plane between the residential
towers to promote interaction between different socio-economic
groups. The programs and architectural landscape of the community
present obstacles and opportunities that provoke interaction. This
architectural plug-in can become a model that can be applied to
other gated communities, starting a process of the disintegration
of the gated community to become re-integrated into the
city.
Advisors/Committee Members: Miho Mazereeuw (advisor).

► Correlations between possible factors in studentsâ decisions to pursue Science and Engineering degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate level are examined in this thesis.…
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▼ Correlations between possible factors in studentsâ decisions to pursue Science and Engineering degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate level are examined in this thesis. Factors representing supply and demand of graduates at the undergraduate level are examined. For graduate level students, different measures of opportunity cost are hypothized to have correlation with the number of graduates, both foreign and American. Due to data limitations, detailed examination cannot be done and only correlation can be determined. However, the results are expected to set the table for future studies on predictive variables; particularly on the role that opportunity cost plays for graduate students and the policy implications.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ana Regina de Andrade (committee member).

Stingily, K. D. (2012). Trends of S&E students in the United States: an exploratory analysis from 1993-2008. (Masters Thesis). Vanderbilt University. Retrieved from http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-12082011-134232/ ;

Stingily KD. Trends of S&E students in the United States: an exploratory analysis from 1993-2008. [Masters Thesis]. Vanderbilt University; 2012. Available from: http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-12082011-134232/ ;

University of Greenwich

28.
Edewa, Andrew.
Sanitary and phytosanitary standards : implications for trade and development in Kenya.

► For many years Kenya has invested in compliance infrastructure for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards with the primary objective of assisting agricultural producers and traders…
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▼ For many years Kenya has invested in compliance infrastructure for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards with the primary objective of assisting agricultural producers and traders meet SPS conditions of trading partners and to enhance the country's ability to compete in global markets without excluding smallholder producers. However, these efforts have not proportionately reduced incidences of rejections and complaints on Kenya's agrofood exports, nor responded effectively to emerging SPS risks. Such incidences have highlighted likely weaknesses in the country's SPS compliance system. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of Kenya's Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) system to support safe trade in agricultural and food products. A range of social science methods and tools were used to assess the ability of the private sector to produce agricultural and food products that comply with SPS requirements of key trading partners the one hand, and domestic SPS compliance support institutions on the other. Overall, significant investments have been made in Kenya's SPS compliance system but its linkages with the private sector regional and international frameworks are inadequate. National SPS policy frameworks exist, but have received limited priority in national development and trade agenda. In addition, although private sector is implementing SPS requirements, smallholders are increasingly being excluded from global value chains, and regulatory controls are more reactive rather than risk-based. As a consequence non-compliance with SPS requirements continues to be a major hindrance for the country's key agro-food exports and regional integration efforts. Efforts should be directed towards implementation of regional SPS frameworks and compliance along agro-food value chains without excluding participation of smallholder producers.

Edewa, A. (2016). Sanitary and phytosanitary standards : implications for trade and development in Kenya. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Greenwich. Retrieved from http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/23587/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.777576

Edewa A. Sanitary and phytosanitary standards : implications for trade and development in Kenya. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Greenwich; 2016. Available from: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/23587/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.777576

University of Greenwich

29.
Van Hulst, Freddy.
Creating capabilities for sustainable smallholder agriculture : a systems perspective on innovation and the adoption of conservation agriculture in Kenya and Madagascar.

► In recent years, Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been promoted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as an alternative farming system for smallholder farmers to address declining soil…
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▼ In recent years, Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been promoted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as an alternative farming system for smallholder farmers to address declining soil productivity and climate change. CA is a technology package based on 1) minimum soil disturbance; 2) permanent soil cover; and 3) maximum crop diversity through rotation/association. Claims about the potential benefits of CA for smallholder farmers in SSA are contested, and the (non-)adoption by farmers remains difficult to predict and understand. This research combines different conceptual models to better understand the adoption and promotion of CA in Kenya and Madagascar with a wider relevance for similar practices in SSA. For both countries, the major stakeholders in the innovation systems and their interlinkages are described, with a focus on the position of smallholder farmers. Stakeholders' 'theories of change', narratives and 'framing' of the importance of CA, and their perceived legitimation for their involvement in CA, are described. Results show that the Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) approach through Innovation Platforms remains difficult to translate into practice; expert-based development approaches remain the norm. It is argued that this is partly the result of an institutionalisation of purposive-rational policy and practice, while the capabilities approach and Habermas' theory of communicative action explored in this thesis, suggest the need for a counter institutionalisation of more communicative-rational thinking and practice. Communicative action can enable an AIS approach that actually provides sustainable technological and institutional innovation. This research shows that the social-psychological Reasoned Action Approach is a useful heuristic for understanding farmers' intention to adopt CA practices in terms of attitudes, perceived social norms and perceived behavioural control (PBC), and the respective underlying beliefs. Results show that attitudes and PBC are the main determinants of intentions. It is recommended to promote experimentation and learning, because these influence both PBC and attitudes.

▼ A large class of 4d N = 2 superconformal field theories arise as compactifications of a 6d (2, 0) theory of type j = A, D, E on a punctured Riemann surface, C. These theories can be classified by listing the allowed fixtures and cylinders which can occur in a pants decomposition of C, and giving the rules for gluing them together. Different pants decompositions of the same surface give different weakly-coupled presentations of the same underlying SCFT, related by S-duality. An even larger class of theories can be constructed in this way by including "twisted" punctures, which carry a non-trivial action of the outer-automorphism group of j. In this dissertation, we discuss the classification procedure for twisted theories of type D [subscript N] , as well as for twisted and untwisted theories of type E₆. Using these results, we write the Seiberg-Witten solutions for all Spin(n) gauge theories with matter in spinor representations which can be realized by compactifying the (2, 0) theory. We also study a family of SCFTs arising from the twisted A [subscript 2N] series, whose twisted punctures are still not fully-understood.
Advisors/Committee Members: Distler, Jacques (advisor), Kaplunovsky, Vadim (committee member), Neitzke, Andrew (committee member), Paban, Sonia (committee member), Kilic, Can (committee member).